Pork Piccata

over Herbed Orzo with Apple Sauté

Piccata is an Italian word meaning "larded" and is a technique that involves cooking in a rich sauce of parsley, lemon and butter. In this recipe, we add capers for a bit more zip! Savory pork and spiced apples are a classic combination while a bed of luscious orzo adds a comforting layer to the dish, perfect for a pleasant autumn evening.

Suggested beer pairing
Märzen (Oktoberfest Lager)
The ultimate celebration of craft beer in America takes place at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. In 2016, over 3,800 beers in a variety of styles were judged. In competition with beers from all across the country, Hi-Wire's Zirkusfest Oktoberfest Lager won the GABF gold medal for their traditional Märzen (Märzen is a traditional beer celebrating the start of the brewing season in Germany in March). Darker than a Vienna lager, Märzens bring nut flavors and a finished lager weight which will go well with the rich lemon butter piccata sauce and complement the apple sauté.

Suggested wine pairing
Friulano (Tocai Friulano), Italy
Piccata is lemon, parsley and butter, and these bright flavors will compete with everything else on the dish from browned pork chops to cinnamon sautéed apples. White, red and rose are all options, but for this dish I can’t help but go orange. If you haven’t had orange wine, don’t fret. It’s really just white wine that has been in contact with the skins (just like a red wine). The skins impart a golden copper or orange color and also give the wine some tannin, making it a white that drinks almost like a red. Look for nutty aromatics and wild tropical fruits that transition to citrus and sour peach on the palate. It’s not for everyone, but it sure is worth a try!

• To pork skillet, add shallot and lemon juice. Cook, stirring and scraping, until shallot is translucent, about 1 minute.

• Remove skillet from heat. Add butter and capers, and stir until butter is melted.

Step 8

• Toss orzo with parsley. Divide between 2 plates.

• Top with pork chops and sauce.

• Serve with apple, and enjoy!

About the Chef

Cynthia Graubart

Named a Georgia Grown Executive Chef for 2017, Cynthia shares her passion for her home state and its bountiful produce and products with her audiences across many platforms. She and her husband, Cliff, who owns the Old New York Book Shop, regularly travel to Book Festivals and host book store owners as well as authors on a regular basis in their Atlanta home. They have a full bar always at the ready.